Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Scissors is a play-action shot play out of Singleback Wing Tight Left that crosses two deep routes to manipulate safeties. Off the play fake, the outside receiver to the left runs a deep post while the tight end or wing to the right runs a corner route, creating a scissors crossing pattern over the middle of the field, while the backside X receiver runs a deep out and the HB checks down into the flat as the outlet. This is a shot play designed to beat Cover 2 and Cover 4 shells by attacking the seams the safeties vacate, with the primary read progression starting on the deep post, working to the crossing corner route, then checking down to the flat route or HB if the safeties hold.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify whether the safeties are showing two high or rolled to a single high look since this concept is specifically built to punish two high and four across shells. Watch cornerback depth and technique at the snap, since soft or off coverage on the outside receivers signals the crossing routes will have room to work against zone drops. Post-snap, key the safeties immediate reaction to the run fake since any hard downhill trigger confirms the play design has manipulated the coverage and the post or corner route is coming open. Look for a user-controlled defender sitting in the middle of the field or lurking underneath the crossing routes, since a rover or robber technique can jump the post route and disrupt the primary read. Man coverage with tight press and no safety help over the top is the biggest threat to this play, since it eliminates the natural picks created by the crossing routes and puts receivers in isolated matchups.
Usage Tips
Take a pre-snap look at both safeties before the snap to confirm a two high or four across shell since this play is built to attack those exact structures.
Sell the run fake fully so linebackers and safeties bite downhill, which opens the crossing lanes for the post and corner routes.
If you see man coverage with a single high safety, be ready to hot route the flat route into a quicker option since the deep crossers take longer to develop against tight man technique.
Use PA Scissors as a change of pace after running Inside Zone, HB Dive, or HB Power from the same Wing Tight Left set so the defense respects the run action and bites on the fake.
Best called on second or third and medium to long when you have time to let the deep crossing routes fully develop and the defense is more likely to sit in a two high or four across shell.
